Mate To The Queen

Kaine

"Don't worry about your sister Kaine, she'll be fine. You need to focus on yourself right now," my mother snaps.

I clench my jaw. "I'm fine," I mutter.

She growls. "Yeah you're fine. You just mauled a wolf from the pack but yeah you're definitely fine," she snarls, throwing me a fiery glare before turning back to the trail.

"He deserved what he got," I spit.

She stops dead in her tracks and whips around. The top of her head barely reaches my chin but she radiates power. "I don't care if he deserved it, you lost control and killed a wolf Kaine!"

I snort. "You're one to talk."

Her face goes stoic but her eyes flare. Her fists are clenched and I can tell she's trying to hold her dragon back. "Yes, I killed a wolf. I killed hundreds—I killed entire packs of wolves Kaine. But not once did I ever make an excuse, I took responsibility for every single life I took," she growls. "Now shut up and walk."

*********

I watch the flames dance around on my palm. A comforting heat emanates from the fire that slowly engulfs my hand.

"It's calming, isn't it?"

I look over at my mother, sitting on the other side of the cave. A tiny smile rests on her lips as she watches me.

I sigh a little. "Being away from the pack is calming. I don't like the wolves, being there just doesn't feel right," I admit, closing my hand and stifling the flames.

She nods numbly. "I know. Dragons and wolves have always struggled around one another. Even as allies our relationship was always . . . tense."

"You and dad seem to do just fine," I mutter.

She sighs then growls, "I swear if you repeat this to anyone—"

"Mom! I wouldn't do that, I never have and never will, I like being able to talk to you," I say quickly, holding my hand up.

She takes a deep breath, staring at the ball of fire between us. "Your father and I have always had problems. Hell the first time we met he tortured me just because he thought I might be a dragon," she growls.

My eyebrows shoot up in shock but I don't say anything. She never talks about how her and dad met, no matter how much we ask.

"Anyway even after all the crap we went through together and you guys were born, I didn't like it there. I can guarantee you that we feel the exact same way," she sighs, smiling sadly. "Kinda like you don't belong, you feel trapped, like you're living inside enemy territory?"

I nod. That's exactly how I feel. "I can't shift there, I can't talk to anyone, my dragon drives me insane and now my wolf does too. I hate it there, and no one understands," I growl.

Her lip twitches a little. "Well now you know that I understand. Jaxon doesn't, but his dragon is strange, she seems much more controlled than most Fury dragons and that is absolutely terrifying," she breathes nervously. "But I'm not worried about him at the moment and that's why he is staying with Maia and your dad."

"Right, so are you going to tell me what we'll be doing there or is it a surprise?"

"I'm honestly not sure yet. One of our allies requested to speak with me so we'll meet as soon as we get there but after that I don't know."

"Who wants to talk to you?"

"A young woman named Syrra," she tells me.

"Syrra? I swear I've heard that name before," I mutter with a frown.